The Platinum Club has been described as a “scar” on downtown Kinston by its detractors, but operator Tharol Branch insists he has brought money into the community and provided a place for people to have fun.

Branch, a Kinston native, leases the former Paramount Theater from the heirs of the late Ted Sampley, who owned a number of properties and businesses downtown on Queen and Herritage streets.

Sampley, who also spearheaded the effort to build the CSS Neuse II, passed away on May 12, 2009. The Paramount Theater today is owned by his son Owen Lane Sampley and daughter Wendy Sampley Shehane.

The theater has been home to The Platinum Club since Branch, 38, opened it in May of 2008. He has run it for nearly five years, and draws hundreds of people to the 211 N. Queen St. nightspot every weekend.

Many club-goers are from the Kinston area, and many more come from around Eastern North Carolina. Branch said others from as far away as New York and Atlanta attend the club.

“I have out-of-town money that comes to Kinston every week, and they spend money with me and I spend money back in the community,” he said.

The club is open Fridays and Saturdays from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. and 250 to 300 people show up on a typical night.

Branch gave The Free Press a tour of the club’s first floor Monday, which included visits to the lobby, the VIP room and the main dance floor. Patrons can dance, listen to music and get drinks at the bar.

Violent incidents have taken place in the vicinity of the club during the past two years, including shootings and stabbings — none have been fatal, though.

The club has been blamed as being a draw for violence, vandalism and litter, and it recently came into the crosshairs of downtown business leaders.

Adrian King, executive director of Pride of Kinston, went before the Kinston City Council last week and asked city officials to explore ways to shut the club down.

City Manager Tony Sears said during the meeting the city does not have the statutory authority to shut the business down, but he and other city leaders are looking into various measures they can take.

“The property is just not conducive to the kind of downtown we want,” King said Monday.

Properties around the Platinum Club are being developed, including the CSS Neuse Civil War Interpretive Center at 100 N. Queen St. and the Harvey-Brody Building at the intersection of North and Queen streets.

The Harvey-Brody Building is across Queen Street from the Platinum Club, and is being renovated from a former furniture showroom into an oyster and burger bar, and Asian bistro.

Branch has worked to keep up his customer base up in the wake of constant hits to the club’s reputation.

“Everything that happens around this club gets mis-reported and it goes to me,” he said.

Branch acknowledged fights happen in his club, but such incidents will always happen in nightclubs. He said the difference is in how incidents are handled.

Branch said he typically has eight security guards stationed throughout the nightclub, and he serves as head of security.

He keeps a “banned list” — a log of patrons who have been barred from the club for various offenses. Anyone who tries to bring a firearm to the club is banned permanently.

He said “we have mace and we have Tasers and we have handcuffs” to handle violence.

Branch said the tempo of the music changes after 2 a.m. to help patrons wind down. Some songs are played in remembrance of people in the community who have died.

“I remind people that people have already died, and they know these people,” Branch said. “It's kind of hard to fight when you’re crying.”

He showed an eviction notice that had been placed on the club doors by his landlords. The notice was dated Saturday and stated Branch had 30 days to vacate the property.

“Due to recent events that have occured (sic) in and around this club it would be to the best interests of the owners and the common well being of the city for the current Tenants (sic) to vacate this building within 30 days,” the notice stated.

Branch said he planned to work with the owners and resolve the eviction issue, though.

“We will be wide open,” he said.

David Anderson can be reached at 252-559-1077 or David.Anderson@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at DavidFreePress.